Hex of the Rosestone: Chapter 1
by Mystic Vaporeon
Summary: Book three in "The Legends and Myths Chronicles" Picking up where "The Myth of Shadowrun" left off, one year later. Jessie and James celebrate a joyous one year wedding anviversary, but it ends with a shocking revelation about new adventures to come...


Author's note: This is the third book in my overly long series of fantasy fan fiction, "The Legends and Myths chronicles" in case ya didn't pick that up already! ^_^ Anyways, it's the continuation coming right After "The Myth of Shadowrun" hence me saying it's book three, so enjoy it, feedback is greatly appreciated, and it's rated R for a bit of raunchy sexual humor which I find funny, but others may not, that said and done, on to book three!

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Hex of the Rosestone

Book three in The Legends and Myths Chronicles by Mystic Vaporeon

Chapter 1: Living a Fairytale

The forces of emotions govern over all with omnipotent force, whether it is a choice to live by them or not. They consume greedily, destroy, and infect the minds of humans, Pokemon, and even the creatures of the world without mercy, sometimes fiercely driving a soul to miserable, forsaken and utterly desolate insanity. One too many souls lost to the poisons of jealousy, despair, or utter misery, never returned from the bout with the demons, and the poor unfortunate soul was left empty, emotionless, and dead before their time. They can be benevolent however, such as the power of the ethereal force of true love, devotion, true friendship, and joy, but they often conflict and wither to die in the presence of a darker more devilishly deceptive and cancerous force. They can be allowed to corrupt and annihilate a mind, or the feeling of light can return even more brilliantly than ever before, and finally conquer the dark once and for all. 

One year had come to pass since Shadow's and Blade's lights had gone out, one year since the souls of the messengers of the mind and wind had flared to their full potential, one year since the day the truth had been revealed; the seven outsiders that had escaped Vinetra's grasp, contrary to her belief, had been in actuality the legendary souls destined to cause her downfall. She had assumed Shadow, the corrupted and insane power of the mind would destroy them, but now she could sense the power they possessed, and knew she could allow it to progress no further.

Vinetra sighed as she rose from her throne composed of a large and elaborate purple flower, moving to the window solemnly. She looked out with a scowl, banging her forehead lightly on the thin glass pane in contempt. "How could I have been so stupid?" she hissed to herself, frowning at the playful waves that crashed against the menacing rocks that protected her palace on a secluded island in the Neonthian sea, "it was one thing to escape and defeat Icthsique, but now Shadow and Blade too?"

The queen snarled under her breath as she forced herself away from the window, crossing her arms bitterly across the small of her back as she paced nervously out of her throne room. "This is not good, not at all, Icthsique, Blade, and even Shadow! That freak was a prisoner of her own mind! She didn't care whether she killed or not, or even who it was! Those two little brats are married, and they're all gaining more power everyday!" Vinetra clenched her fists at her sides as she was forced to stop, resisting the urge to destroy something and shut her eyes contemptuously, the feeling of frustration threatening to tear her apart from the inside. Drawing in a long breath, she finally opened her blazing eyes, raising her head to project her voice in one loud and piercing scream. "Thorangon!" she shrieked shrilly.

Vinetra was not required to wait long, as the obedient dragon was at her side nearly instantly, materializing from a nearby plant. "You screamed my liege?" he asked, following at her heels as she silently exited the throne room. "Yes, indeed I did, do you remember those children who escaped from here about two years ago?" she inquired. The vine dragon had to think a moment, eventually nodding his head vigorously as his memory recalled the event. "Yes! I do! They had the gumption to call themselves the-The seven legendary messengers of A-aradain!" He burst into peals of laughter at this notion, collapsing at his sovereign's feet with it, but cowered under her stern glare as he felt it pierce his mind, and immediately stopped his boisterous episode. "They _are_ the messengers you incompetent little twit!" she snapped. 

Thorangon swallowed hard at the reprimand, and coiled his tail about his legs in subservience. "Sorry Ma'am," he muttered. Vinetra merely huffed as she continued along her path, a small grin creeping unto her lips as a faint gray glow from the end of the room caught her eye. "Those kids are nothing but a nuisance, and I do believe I know how to get rid of them once and for all," she mused. "But if they aren't important, why get rid of them?" Thorangon asked incredulously. "It's not so much the seven themselves, it's their reputation! The legends give people hope, and hope is much harder to crush! I thought they wouldn't be a problem since I hide the scrolls and the last surviving ancient being in the labyrinth, but they got away with those too! I will easily be able to free the powers once I've killed the messengers' and once the people discover that their legends are a big fat fake and a blatant lie, they'll have no will left to fight me. I can take control just like I was meant to," she explained calmly.

Vinetra's expression softened as she fingered a gold band with a small diamond set into it around her finger, and drew an ancient scroll from the folds of her robe. She clenched it in her palm furiously, and it buckled under her vise-like grip. "I'm meant to rule, and no one is going to stand in my way," she hissed, the gray aura which sat on a small pedestal deepening as she approached it, "no one!" The vine dragon grew wary of his master's actions and slunk backward, quite unsure and mildly frightened of what she was conniving. "Boss? What exactly do you intend to do?" he asked. Vinetra turned over her shoulder, casting a sly smile to her utterly perplexed pet before turning back to the odd artifact on the lectern. "Remember that experiment I tried so long ago? Well I believe the situation has arisen for me to use it."

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Placid and tranquil, the world was pleasantly silent as a brilliant cascade of pale saffron, fuchsia, cerulean, and lavender spilled in a rich, luxurious wave of color over the treetops of the Vertigan forest, another morning dawning over the temporarily peaceful setting of the same town. It filled every crevasse of the foliage with it splendor, deepening any groove with a pallid shadow and dulling all other color, splattering everything in shades of the morning. A light mist guarded from the eminent warmth of the day, and as it slowly coiled itself about the gray stone of Vertigo Palace, the winged young man decided to take the opportunity to take to the skies.

Cautious as not to awaken his still slumbering wife nestled close to him, he kissed her softly upon her ruby lips and slipped from her arms, walking gently across the floor to the window, the only sound the feathers of his cerulean wingtips and tail whispering against the smooth wood. He stopped dead in his tracks as he heard a small shuffle and a yawn from the bed, turning over his shoulder just in time to see the skeptical and annoyed midnight blue eyes of the feline companion nestled at the feet of the red-haired woman in bed. The winged soul grinned seductively, and raised a finger to his lips to indicate he wished his friend to remain quite before pointing to an ornate ring on his left hand. Suddenly realizing what his companion meant, the cat nuzzled closer to his female friend, purring softly to keep her securely in the realm of dreams as the blue-haired youth opened the window as quietly as possible.

With a rush of placid, balmy air, James spread his glimmering cerulean wings gently and stepped out onto the ledge of the tower window, peering with a small grin to the fountain in the courtyard. It babbled courteously in the dull silence of the early morning as if to welcome him, and he breathed in the unique scent that belonged only to Vertigo palace, exhaling gratefully as he gazed longingly to the pastel mountains looming far beyond the realms he had explored of Aradain. His lips curled into an utterly delighted and childish smile at the sight, and he turned for one last look at the sleeping form of his beloved Jessie before leaping dramatically from the ledge, the last vision of him to the cat, the great wave of blue created by James' lustrous tail.

The winds accepted their messenger gratefully, filling his feathers with a warm and affectionate gust as he plummeted to the ground, opening them to their full length just before hitting to rocket over the palace walls and out into the countryside. Closing his eyes as he felt his body seem to ricochet from near death in exuberance, James let the winds carry him as fast as they possibly could, the slightest tilting of his wings sending him into a dizzying spiral.

The blue-haired young man laughed joyously as he broke from the aerial helix, swooping downward to skim the green blur that was the gorgeous landscape of the fantasy world he called home. He spotted a flash of red out of the corner of his eye, and realizing it was exactly what he had been looking for, swerved to go back upon his flight and pass over it again.

The hill was very familiar to James, and so was the bush, dotted with young, blood red roses, and though he felt it should harbor ill feelings for him, it instead brought him comfort, and he was in no way forced to smile as he plucked a rose from the stem on his passage above it. He pressed it to his nose as he slowed his previously rapid and exhilarating pace, deciding he'd sufficiently woken himself up with his daily morning flight, and his wings felt pleasantly stretched, losing himself in the sweetly romantic scent as he continued back to his home.

James sighed amorously as the gates of Vertigo Palace were once again almost suddenly in view, as well as the window he'd left what seemed like ages ago, and he watched with an affable smirk as Meowth again awoke to the gentle rush of air due to the slowing beats of his wings, and sat up to wink at him. The cream colored cat smiled as he leapt deftly from the bed, leaving his two friends to be alone, but peeked one last time before exiting completely to watch James kiss the still slumbering Jessie gently on the lips. "Cutest couple I've eva seen," he mused, and sauntered on his way down to the kitchen.

"Jessie," James whispered in a loving tone, and tracing the blood red rose gently across her face. She stirred at the pleasant sensation, and before she could open her eyes, James pressed his lips to hers once again, and received a kiss back the second time. "Mmm, morning James," she breathed, stretching, and using the motion to wrap her arms about his neck. "Morning beautiful," he replied, pressing to rose into her hand, "and happy anniversary." Jessie grinned seductively and tossed the rose to the floor, bringing James next to her on the bed with a long and passionate kiss. "And happy one year to you too, but I've got one question," she whispered once she had broken away. "And what would that be?" James replied, licking his lips with an equally devious grin plastered to his face. "Why are you dressed?" she asked enticingly, already pulling the soft fabric from his shoulders. "I was hoping you'd take care of that," he mused, placing himself atop Jessie as she undressed him, and he returned the favor. James grinned, and Jessie mirrored it, both knowing exactly how they wanted to start the day of the anniversary of their first glorious year together as husband and wife. 

"One year, can you believe it guys? Jessie and James, formerly of Team Rocket and once our mortal enemies, and now people we couldn't bear to live without, have been married for a whole year!" Pikachu exclaimed leaping toward a gorgeously white rose adorned bush. "It's just so terribly romantic! To bad my little thing with Nightwing didn't last though, guy was a jerk anyhow," Misty replied amiably, "ah well! My guy's out there somewhere! And since Jessie and James are soul mates through this thing, perhaps I can find mine too!" Pikachu turned and grinned impishly at Ash, who blushed as red as the rose he stuck his nose into at the mention of Misty loving someone. "He may be closer than you think Misty!" the mouse chuckled, and bounded off to play in the deeper reaches of the garden.

"Come on Ash! Let's pick some roses and surprise Jessie and James for breakfast!" Misty called, grabbing her friend's hand and dashing after the Pokemon. "Oh they'll be in a good mood no matter what! You just _know_ what they're doing now!" Ash replied laughing. "Well who wouldn't want to spend the morning having sex with someone you love that much?" she mused slapping her friend gently in the back of the head, "now let's make their day just a little bit better." "I couldn't agree more Mist."

Brock meandered down the long hallway leading to the tower bedroom his two married friends shared, grumbling under his breath. "Why did they pick me to wake the lovebirds up? I just know they're in the middle of something I should not be interrupting," he hissed with annoyance. "Oh sure! Brock doesn't have anybody! He won't mind while Ash Misty and Pikachu go into a romantic garden to pick roses for them, Meowth sets the table, doing it up, and everyone else gets a fun job!"

Brock set his cold stone face into a childishly disappointed scowl as he approached the door of the couple, but blushing furiously as he heard giddy giggling and a passionate, "Oh James!" and an equally lustful, "Oh Jessie!" in reply from behind the wooden frame. "I knew it, but who am I to interrupt, they've found love, the most wonderful thing anyone could ask for," he whispered longingly, but with a smirk of approval and amusement on his lips as he started down for the dining room.

When Brock arrived, Meowth was hopping about the table with glee, setting plates, napkins, and silverware in random locations about the table, Pikachu following his haphazard trail to correct the arrangement. "God Meowth! We gave you this job thinking you'd do it right!" he whined, diving to catch a glass as it tottered precariously on the edge of the table. "I can't help it my furry lil' Pika-pal! My two oldest and bestest friends have been madly in love fer a whole year! Just like I always wanted em ta be!" Meowth sang brightly, upsetting the arrangement of roses Ash and Misty tended to as he traipsed merrily across it.

They groaned in frustration, and looked at each other with an only half-hearted frown of scorn on their faces. "Well we'll let him," Ash started with a grin. "He's so happy that they found each other," Misty breathed dreamily. "Well of course! Pikachu? Don't ya wanna see Ash and Misty get togedda?" Meowth asked, bringing a lush rose to his face. "Hey!" Misty snapped, blushing a darker blue than her already cerulean scales. "That's not funny! Pikachu don't answer!" Ash agreed, a slightly darker shade of red than his friend. The Pokemon were much too engrossed in laughing as hard as their bodies would allow, and even Pikachu didn't stop to right the dishes he scattered.

Ash and Misty's eyes found each other and they looked sharply away, Ash leaping at the chance to break the sexual tension by garishly welcoming his stone gray friend into the room. "Hey Brock!" he called brightly, "sans Jess and Jim I see." Brock nodded dully. "I really, really didn't wanna go in there," he answered with a smirk, "but I must admit, husband and wife are allowed to begin their special day with sex should they choose!" This drew a hearty and satisfied chortle from all present in the room, and Pikachu and Meowth's hysteria dulled, their laughing reduced to mere sighs of aching stomach muscles as they set about getting the table back in order. Misty shot them a mockingly presumptuous glare from the corners of her eyes, and went back to the elaborate rose centerpiece now strewn halfway across the pure white tablecloth. "Heh, they'll be down when they're good and ready! And if Meowth and Pikachu would just set the table we could get breakfast out and ready by the time they do!"

Jessie sighed contentedly as she smoothed James' sweat dampened blue hair away from his forehead, kissing it lovingly and nuzzling closer into the warmth of his body next to hers. "Wonderful idea Jess, best way to start our day," he whispered, still slightly out of breath from the preceding exertion. "Very good," Jessie agreed tracing delicate patterns on James' bare chest daintily with a single claw. "Now what's on the agenda?" the latter added, touching the bridge of his nose against Jessie's. "They're waiting for us downstairs, I can sense it, shall we go to our lavish meal prepared by our best friends in the world?" she replied. "They made us breakfast?" James asked incredulously, "that was certainly nice of them." "They want so badly to help make today special, come on, let's enter in a way typical of the old simply best buddies and lovely and charming villains from Team Rocket Jessie and James!" Jessie answered, ruffling her husband's hair adoringly. "You got it Jess!"

"There," Misty breathed, giving the crimson bouquet one last affectionate fluff before seating herself in a chair directly next to it. She looked to the lavish array of fresh fruits, confections, and other baked, fried, and frozen breakfast delights and clasped her hands together excitedly. "This is great Misty! Jessie and James will love it!" Ash piped enthusiastically, wincing as his hand was batted roughly away from a bowl of whipped cream. "Dey'd betta get here soon! I'm starvin' an' I wanna give em da present we got fer em!"

As if on cue, as soon as Meowth had finished his sentence, the double wooden doors leading to the dining room burst dramatically open, and the wriggling shrieking and giggling mass of blue feathers and red hair exploded melodramatically into the room. The rest of the messengers erupted into a fit of laughter as their initial shock faded, and James was revealed behind the mass of ruby and azure, leg still outstretched from kicking the door open, with a little help from Jessie, who rested comfortably in his arms. "Prepare for some legendary trouble!" "Cause' Team Rocket's now a married couple!" the duo proclaimed, drawing a feeling of nostalgia the seven messengers had long since forgotten. "Figures they'd do this!" Misty replied laughing, "Hey guys! Sit your asses down and enjoy this, because we slaved over it! Or are they too sore from this morning to sit?" James ignored her and the rising crescendo of laughter at her impromptu sexual joke, swirling his beloved Jessie, gallantly ostentatious, into the room, both of them laughing joyfully as he spread his majestic wings to their full length. "Ah! Oh James don't do th-" Jessie was interrupted as their cat companion leaped at the duo, knocking them flat to the floor, still laughing hysterically.

Meowth babbled incoherently in the general din of laughter and Jessie shoved him playfully to the floor, wrapping her arms about James' neck, her legs about his waist and pressing her lips to his passionately. "Aww, well dat's real sweet, but Meowth is hungry!" he protested, nestling down into the warmth of his friends. "Poor Meowth, are you sorry we kicked you out of the bed this morning?" James asked jokingly. "I'm beginning to regret not coming in myself!" Brock chimed sarcastically. "Well you know we would have made room for both of you!" Jessie added, beginning to enjoy the rather outlandish joke that had gone way too far. "Okay, okay, I think we've had enough raunchy sex jokes for one morning, any more and we may lose our appetites!" Ash interjected, and taking the hint, Jessie and James took their seats at the table.

The laughter abated, and everyone wiped the tears evident from it from their eyes, exhaling in a loud and simultaneous breath. "Oh, that was good, thanks guys," James breathed genuinely appreciative. "It's nothing, we love you guys so much, and we wanted today to be special," Misty said closing her eyes happily as she filled the glasses set around the table. "God, I barely remember you guys as enemies! It seems so long ago!" Jessie reminisced, swirling the rich golden juice in her wineglass thoughtfully. "I know, but you know what? I'm glad we're friends," Brock added lifting his own vessel above the table heartily, "To the undying friendship and love of the seven messengers, and Jessie and James' one year wedding anniversary!" "Hear hear!" came the unanimous response, and the joyful ring of glass upon itself echoed about the dining hall.

Later that same evening, after spending a glorious day together with their friends, James decided it would be terribly romantic for him to fly Jessie to the beach, take a moonlit walk along the shore, and then fly her back to make love one last time before ending their anniversary nestled in each other's arms. Jessie had agreed without haste, and as the rest of the messengers watched James' majestic winged shadow pass lazily across the brilliance of the twin moons of Aradain and melt into the diamond studded velvet of the night, they couldn't help but feel like one family.

They turned to go back inside, arms around each other's shoulders, smiles etched warmly into their hopeful and joyous faces, and reminiscing upon old times sending their now dear friends "Blasting off again." They could barely remember being opposed to Jessie, James and Meowth, and couldn't help but wonder if they allowed them win so frequently and seemingly perpetually. Meowth assured them they had, his tone as close to sincere as the sarcastic cat could muster and as the courtyard again became silent with the still of night, the messengers were again reminded of the what former villains truly were; heroes in the highest regard.

Ash sighed deeply as he gently opened the door to his brilliantly red bedroom, stepping inside and ensuring his tail was safely out of the way before closing it behind him. He looked to the red and silver designs reminiscent of the powers he had received so long ago when he and his friends had arrived in the strange new world and suddenly felt a wave of nostalgia and even love pass benevolently over him as he flopped onto the silken sheets with a satisfied sigh. "Jessie and James really did get the day they deserve," he whispered quietly to himself, tossing the white coat with red, orange, and yellow accents that had become his favorite attire to the back of his favorite chair.

Ash smiled to himself as he closed his eyes after hearing the soft giggling of Jessie and James in the courtyard, and the door to his bedroom open and two sets of footsteps enter. "Hey Ash, Jess and Jim is gonna wanna be alone tonight, mind if I sleep wid ya?" he heard Meowth ask quietly. "Please Ash Please? Jessie sleeps in Misty's room sometimes! They have sleepovers, I want one too!" Pikachu piped fervently. Ash smiled more broadly, and was about to jokingly refuse the two Pokemon's pleas, but his air supply was rudely cut off by a sharp pounce from the electric mouse upon his stomach.

"Please?" Pikachu whined, this time more loudly and scrambling over Ash as he attempted to rid himself of the mass of golden fur. "Alright okay okay! I give in! Meowth can stay!" he breathlessly replied, and both Pokemon knew it was never their young friend's intent not to let the messenger of the body stay. "Yay! Yay! We're gonna have a sleepova!" Meowth cheered, leaping upon the bed with Pikachu.

Ash groaned in exasperation as the duo began to hop vivaciously across his body, and grumbling, slipped from the slick covers and to the floor, gathering his coat into his arms. "Hey Ash! Where're ya goin'?" Meowth asked, stopping his overzealous bouncing. "Yeah! You're gonna miss all the fun!" Pikachu added. Ash smiled pulled on his coat, walking towards the door as he smiled at the two Pokemon nestled in the formerly neat and orderly crimson sheets and stepped out, turning to address them one last time. "I'm going for a quick walk until you two weirdos settle down! I'll be back soon I promise," he assured them. "Okay!" came the unanimous response, and Ash winced as their antics flared with a new tenacity as he closed the door. "I don't even want to know what my room is going to look like when I come back," he muttered amiably to himself, and started down the hall toward the main entrance hall.

Ash continued out into the main courtyard, feeling the flames that laced his body dance in rhythm with the pleasantly calm and joyful winds, and could almost feel James' happiness behind them. He smiled as he held his hands out to let the gentle streams flow through his fingers, and closed his eyes to merely feel and listen to the night sounds of Vertigo palace. He felt more at home there than he had ever felt anywhere else in his life, and as he could finally pick up the soft trickle of Misty's fountain, he sighed contentedly and let James' benevolent winds guide him to its rim.

Ash was pleased the winds chose to be friendly toward the other messengers, and though his blue-haired friend was the only person who could actually interpret the messages hidden within the gales, they loved to play with his friends as well. The gentling chiming of harmonious metal echoed from Jessie and James' balcony, and the music of their wind-chime floated gently into the symphony of the night, rising in a gorgeous crescendo with water, winds, and other sounds. Accompanied with the crisp salty air of the nearby shore, Ash felt as if he had died and gone to a personal heaven, the only thing missing his beloved Misty in his arms, and admitting to her exactly how much and how long he had loved her.

He could almost hear her gentle voice back, telling him she too was in love, and then, could almost taste her sweet and tender lips upon his, her silky fiery red hair which beautifully contrasted the deep cerulean of her scaled skin. Ash smiled with these thoughts as he opened his eyes to meet with the intricately carved representation of his friend in the perfect marble, sighing deeply at the accuracy and utter beauty of the entire piece. "Misty and I are both fifteen years old now," he whispered to himself, "Jessie and James are both twenty-two, and they've known each other since they were ten, just like Misty and I have, and perhaps, by the time we're older, and wiser, we'll both realize the feelings I know we both share. Even if it takes another seven years for me to gather the courage to tell her, like James, and another seven for Misty to realize who she can give her heart to, like Jessie."

Ash recalled a time in the very same courtyard he stood in that night when Jessie had told him not to allow James to fall in love with her, and at first, Ash had been stunned that she would request such a thing, but later after she had married the winged man, Ash had learnt of her mother's death when she was a child. He then understood her deeply rooted fear of losing the things she loved, and had also come to realize that it was also why Jessie had been cruel to James on occasion. It was because she had loved him for so long, and was desperately trying to deny it, she knew she could never lose her best friend and the man she secretly loved, and it had taken an epic adventure for her to realize that he was the person she knew she was destined to be with, and the confirmation of her intense feelings of love had been solidified. 

Ash felt as hand on his shoulder as he reflected upon the incredible bond of love between his two friends, and whirled sharply around, startled, to the soft imploring brown eyes of Brock. "Hey Ash, out late?" he asked amiably. "Yeah, walk with me a bit?" he asked, stepping forward to imply his path. "Sure! Something on your mind?" Brock inquired joining his friend along the path to the gardens. "No, I was just thinking about Jessie and James, and how great it is they found each other, and how much they honestly and truly love each other," he answered crossing his arms into the small of his back. "Jealous are we?" "Greener than this grass." "Thought so, don't worry about it buddy," Brock laughed, "I know we'll all find our soul mates through these legends just like they did! And maybe, the souls of the messengers of the flame and tides are crafted for one."

Ash blushed a literally flaming red at the comment and turned away, and grinned as he found a lovely excuse for doing so, noting that Princess Cerise was also out late. She stood in the middle of her garden, the crimson form of Riley perched intently upon her shoulder, and they both stared at a rather official looking scroll. "Brock! It's Cerise! Looks like another scroll's opened!" he shouted excitedly, and both young men bolted for their comrade.

Cerise looked up as she heard the clamor of Brock and Ash's approach, blinking a few times in confusion, and not even attempting to make sense of their incoherent ramblings. She attempted vainly to answer what little fragments of questions, holding up her hands and at first opening her mouth to speak to Ash, then turning to Brock and then back to the younger boy, at last finally giving up, squeezing her eyes shut in frustration. "Whoa! Stop! Everybody shut up!" she screeched, crumpling the paper in her hand as the voices reached an intolerable pinnacle. "Geez Cerise, we just wanted to know about the scroll!" Brock muttered cantankerously. "Yeah, you don't have to be mean about it!" Ash added, to which the young woman's jaw dropped.

Riley fell to the floor with a sudden gripping seizure of laughter and Cerise merely ignored him before huffing angrily as she unfurled the now mangled sheet of delicately and intricately inscribed paper. "It's an invitation to a tournament of skill held in an island in the seas on the other side of the continent. You have sailed through the calm waters of the Neonthian sea, but this is in the more treacherous waters of the Mercuris Ocean," she mused haughtily, obviously enjoying relaying basic information to the people still new to the geography of Aradain. "That's it? Big deal!" Ash whined crossing his arms bitterly over his chest. "A tournament? What's the big deal standing out here with Riley over a tournament?" Brock asked dubiously. "Yeah! We thought another of the seven scrolls had opened!" Ash added equally irritably. "The importance you idiots, is that this invitation is written in the ancient script! And since it comes from an island in the ancient ocean of the Mercuris, there's only one island it could be, and if I'm correct, then it is a very important link to the legends," Riley answered softly, reverently, almost as if he was afraid to speak of it in a joking manner as he usually would. "This sounds better now, what island is it?" Brock piped smiling again. Cerise lowered her eyes deviously, and took a seductive step toward the anxiously enamoured duo, Riley close at her heels, also awaiting the incredible poignancy of the words he knew the Princess was about to speak. "Have you two ever heard of the lost city of Atlantis?"

To be continued


End file.
